Live Review: The Vaccines, Palma Violets

A massive snake of a queue, comprising eager fans that happily natter about Splendour sideshows and what we can expect from this evening's entertainment, twists around the outside of the venue. All are hyped and excited that they're here to see two young, relatively new buzz bands from London that follow in the tradition of English indie bands containing a bunch of likely lads.

Palma Violets deliver a loose and rough noise that is deeply indebted and almost pays homage to The Libertines. As The Libertines get ready to release their first album in 11 years later this year, one has to wonder if this will eventually force a rethink in the Palma Violets camp. Bass player Chilli Jesson ricochets about the stage looking like he just wants to incite fans to riot while he rocks out. Ironically, when he drops his vocals on the frenzied Best Of Friends, it feels like an anthemic pub rocker without the rock star attitude that his body language suggests. Jesson feels like a distraction to the calmer frontman Sam Fryer, who exudes a classy-yet-elegantly wasted vibe. Palma Violets pull together a knuckle dragging garage noise flecked with elements of glam, country, soul and the wildest rock'n'roll. Fans cheer, but many in the already-packed-out Corner are saving their energy for the main event.

Reportedly jetlagged for their appearance at Splendour, there is no way that fans at the Corner are gonna let The Vaccines get away without delivering an energetic performance. Kicking off the show with Handsome to a rapturous response, the song neatly summarises what The Vaccines are all about these days: tight pop ditties that match Brit pop-esque hooks with just enough indie grunt to give the mix some rock action. New tunes mark the evolution of The Vaccines but, set in the context of older songs, they sound like a sharp change of direction for the band. The blunt rockers of yore are traded for tunes that seemingly survey contemporary indie-pop. The irresistible pop ballad Minimal Affection just sounds like The Strokes and the ghostly Dream Lover echoes the vibes of Arctic Monkeys. 20/20 and even Handsome feels like Kaiser Chiefs in full flight, while Give Me A Sign lands us in classic '80s stadium pop. It's a rougher Vaccines that emerges when they play older material like Ghost Town, Bad Mood and the pop punk Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra). There is minimal banter in between songs as they concentrate on pumping out the tunes. Disappointingly, they don't indulge us with any Post Break-Up Sex.

Encores kick off with the bleak lyrics of No Hope before Radio Bikini produces a more upbeat, feel-good vibe. The night comes down with All In White, which sounds a little Coldplay albeit with a little more lyrical depth. Tonight suggests that The Vaccines are transitioning, filled with a desire to break out of the pubs they have been rocking and find those elusive stadiums filled with adoring fans.